Chapter 2: The Beginning of a New Adventure
Like I said in the last chapter, I am going to try and publish at least two or three chapters for this story in quick succession before returning to my others.
I don't really think that there is anything else that I need to say, so if I think of anything, I'll write it out in the Author's Note at the end of the chapter.
I hope everyone enjoys the second chapter!
AlucardsBro OUT!
"Thank you for your business, we'll have your order ready for pickup on Monday by two o'clock."
Smiling pleasantly as the customer exited the laundromat, Yoruichi let her cheerful facade melt into annoyance as soon as the middle-aged bitch was out of sight. Without a doubt, the worst part of working in customer service was the fact that she had to remain friendly and polite to everyone who walked through the door. It didn't matter if they treated her like dirt; she was expected to treat them like nothing less than royalty.
Letting out a sigh and reaching up to massage her temples, a small smile delicately stretched across her face as her mind drifted to the one good thing in her life.
Ichigo…
It had been nearly a month and a half since the day she had caught him staring at her in the lecture hall. And she could honestly say that the time they spent together was without a doubt some of the best moments of her life.
The split-second decision she'd made to go out with him was one of the few that she didn't regret in the slightest.
They'd even started talking about buying a bigger apartment together…
At the moment, they both lived separately in their own tiny accommodations, but what with the money she'd been saving since her parents passed away, and the income Ichigo had been earning ever since he'd taken a job at a nearby café, they nearly had enough between them to afford a much-needed improvement in sleeping quarters.
"Shihouin, you can take your lunch break now," her manager's voice came from the back of the store.
"Thanks!" she replied cheerily, and slid off her uniform apron before heading towards the exit. There was an absolutely adorable little seafood stand that she'd been meaning to try a little further down the street.
Walking through the door, she barely made it two feet down the sidewalk before a pair of masculine arms slid around her waist and lifted her into the air.
"Guess who."
Despite the fact that his voice was a dead giveaway, Yoruichi laughed and decided to play along. "Hmmm, let's see…who could ever have me captured in their grasp?"
"Probably someone who is unbelievably handsome."
She laughed again and drummed her fingers against his arm in mock-thought. "Well, that's obviously a given. I give up. What dastardly fiend has captured this fair maiden in his unyielding clutches?"
She felt herself being lowered to the ground, and once her feet touched the pavement, she spun around and met her boyfriend's chocolate-brown eyes with her own golden orbs. Pushing herself up on the tips of her toes, she wove her arms around his neck and leaned in for a slow kiss, which he gladly returned.
Ichigo had become much more comfortable with displaying his affection for her over the course of their relationship.
Shivering slightly when the orange-head nipped gently on her lower lip, Yoruichi reluctantly pulled herself away to meet his gaze. "So, what brings you down to this neck of the woods, Berry Boy?"
The fact that he no longer reacted in the slightest to her little pet name spoke volumes about their closeness.
"Well," he chuckled. "I have about an hour until my next class starts, and I decided to spend that time with my most favorite person on the planet. And, being the amazing boyfriend that I am, I knew that you get off for lunch around this time, so here I am."
Smiling at his playfulness, Yoruichi reached down to intertwine their fingers. "Well, it's a good thing you showed up when you did; there is a new seafood place that opened up a few weeks ago, and even though I was gonna go check it out anyway, I think I'd enjoy it much more if you went with me."
Ichigo returned her smile with one of his own, and gently began to sway their interlocked hands back and forth. "Well then, lead the way M'Lady."
Laughing, the violet-haired young woman began pulling her orange-haired partner along in the direction of their destination.
For the first few weeks after their relationship had begun, she had been confident that she'd made the right call in asking him out. They had become incredibly close during that period of time, and they relished in one another's company. It didn't matter if they were watching television, lying under the cherry blossom tree in the park, or simply silently sharing a meal together.
However, after nearly a month had passed, Yoruichi had felt something like she never had before begin to build up in her chest. She hadn't realized it at the time, but now she was fully aware of what it was.
It grew in intensity whenever she was around Ichigo, and even reared its head when all she did was think about him when they were apart.
There was no denying it now…
She was in love.
Unbridled, unconditional love.
And based on how Ichigo acted, and in the way he looked at her, she knew that he felt the same way. That was how much they trusted in one another. They didn't even have to say those three words to know what they felt for each other.
It was incredible. She'd always spoken of magic, even well into her adulthood, but now she absolutely believed that it existed. How else could one explain they joy that they felt in one another's presence?
She was happier than she'd ever been. Her orange-haired shining knight treated her like the most precious thing in the world. That wasn't to say that he coddled or smothered her; quite the opposite in fact. He knew that she could very well kick ass better than he, and he respected her both as a woman and a person. But his actions still spoke for how much he cared about her.
Maybe that was why she felt so guilty about hiding herself from him…
'Come on girl,' she mentally chided herself. 'You owe him the truth. Even if he rejects you, you'll feel satisfied with the fact that you revealed yourself to him. He's special after all.'
Yoruichi's internal debate allowed some confidence and determination to finally enter her heart, but after taking one sideways glance at his face, those emotions were crushed into dust.
'But, I don't want him to leave me…I love him.'
'Then you OWE him the truth.'
'I KNOW! But…'
She cast another subtle look at his smiling face.
'I don't want to lose him too…'
"Is that the place you were talking about?" Ichigo asked with a grin, gesturing to the quaint little seafood stand a little further down the block. He turned to look at her when she didn't answer, and grew concerned at the troubled look on her face. "Hey, Yoruichi."
"H-Huh?" she stuttered, as if coming out of a trance.
Ichigo frowned and squeezed her hand lightly. "You okay?"
The dark-skinned young woman's smile returned in earnest. "I'm fine, just thinking is all."
"If you say so," the orange-head relented, not for a minute fully believing her excuse. Over the month and a half that they'd been together, he'd become quite accustomed to getting a near-accurate read on her emotional states. And now, she was most definitely conflicted.
Seemingly wanting to change the subject, Yoruichi's eyes lit up when she finally noticed the restaurant. Fixing her boyfriend with a beatific smile, she eagerly pulled him along. "Hurry up slowpoke! I'm starving!"
As he was pulled through the doors and up to the counter, Ichigo still couldn't help but feel like there was something upsetting his partner. But, if she didn't deem it important enough at the moment to voice her concerns, then he would let it go for the time being.
After lunch, which had been absolutely delicious, Ichigo had walked Yoruichi back to her workplace before returning to the University campus for the remainder of his classes.
The spring semester was now in full swing, and students were already buzzing with excitement at the prospect of summer vacation. Ichigo himself was looking forward to it, but it was still several months away, so he didn't see the need to obsess over it.
Maybe he'd finally take Yoruichi to meet his dad and sisters…
He hadn't even told them that he was dating anyone yet, but then again that wasn't really any of their business. Even if Karin and Yuzu would only react with surprise for the first few hours, there was no doubt that his Old Man would run around the entirety of Karakura Town and announce his son's relationship status to all of its inhabitants.
And that was something that Ichigo could most definitely live without.
Still, he should probably tell them sooner rather than later, but he wanted Yoruichi to be there with him when he did so.
Glancing out the classroom window, his brown eyes followed a single leaf as it fell from the branch of a maple tree and gently floated down to the ground. Thinking back to that first day that they'd spent lying under the cherry blossom tree, he couldn't help but smile at the memory.
His girlfriend's dream truly was a remarkable one.
Most young women that he knew simply talked about marrying some big shot and raising their kids in the suburbs of some metropolitan city.
Not Yoruichi.
The both of them had actually drawn up plans for her dream home in their spare time, and although it had only been for fun, his heart still hammered at the very idea. Settling down. Building a house. Marriage. Raising kids.
A little over a month ago, if someone had asked Ichigo what his thoughts on family life were, he would have told them to shut up and listen to the lecture. But now, after his talk with Yoruichi, he was surprised to find himself honestly giving it some serious thought.
He still most definitely planned on finishing college before even considering starting a family, but maybe, if things panned out like he hoped, sometime within the next few years or so they could actually make her dream a reality.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the orange-haired young man attempted to tune back into the class. He only had a little over thirty-two minutes before the period ended, and then he could allow his thoughts to drift to the woman he loved. Until that time, however, he would focus on learning as much as he could.
She was sure that her pacing was wearing a trench into the grass…
After their short little lunch date, and after Ichigo had walked her back to work, Yoruichi's mind had been clouded by doubt and unease all throughout the rest of her shift.
She attempted to bury her guilt in the deepest recesses of her mind, but the idea that doing so caused her to be dishonest with the man she loved only caused them to resurface with a vengeance.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, the violet-haired woman leaned back against the trunk of her favorite tree and slowly slid to the ground. "Damn it, what am I going to do…?"
She already knew the answer to that question, but a large part of her was absolutely terrified to accept it. Her secret was not one to be taken lightly, but she knew that she owed it to Ichigo to be completely honest with him. Even if he rejected her, she knew that she would feel better about the whole thing if she simply told him the truth. Even if it ended up breaking her heart…
Folding her arms and resting them across her knees, she rested her chin on her arms and looked out across the park. From her vantage point, she could see various couples holding one another in loving embraces. Some of them looked older than time itself, while some looked like they were barely out of high school.
She even saw a few pushing baby strollers.
That particular train of thought made her heart lurch in a mixture of fear and excitement.
Would she even be a good mother when the time came? Would Ichigo end up being the father? She certainly hoped so. But, if that were to ever happen, then she needed to be upfront with him completely.
Casting a glance to the side, she noticed a flower gently swaying in the breeze.
Reaching out to pick it, she gently brought it up to her face for closer inspection. She had no idea what species it was, but it was most certainly one of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. The petals were a dark shade of purple, but their very edges were trimmed with a bright orange.
Wait…
"Oh come on!" Yoruichi groaned. "So, I guess nature itself is deciding to screw with me now?"
Resting the back of her head against the trunk of the tree, the violet-haired woman glared balefully at the flower in her hand. Letting out a sigh, she picked off one of its petals.
"I tell him."
She picked another.
"I tell him not…"
She picked again.
"I tell him."
And again.
"I tell him not."
This went on for about half a minute, until finally she reached the last petal remaining on the flower. She expected fear to once again rear its ugly head, but in its place, she surprisingly felt nothing but contentment. Sure, a little nervousness was there, but it was vastly overshadowed by the determination that was finally staking its claim on her heart.
With a shaky hand, she reached up and plucked the final petal off of the flower.
"I tell him."
There was no quiver in her tone, only conviction. With a wide smile on her face, she reached into her back pocket and withdrew her phone. Shuffling to Ichigo's contact information, she quickly sent him a text.
What are you doing later? -Y.
Her phone buzzed not even twenty seconds later, alerting her to his reply.
Not much. I'm picking up a few things at the supermarket right now. I'm almost out of coffee and ramen. Why, do you want me to pick something up for you? -I.
She chuckled and shook her head. Despite his sweetness, her boyfriend could be denser than concrete at times.
Actually, that's not what I wanted to talk about, but I could use some more tuna. -Y.
Her phone buzzed again, and Yoruichi laughed loudly once she read his reply.
You and your damn fish. But anyway, what's up? -I.
Can you meet me under our tree tonight at midnight? -Y.
That late? Are you sure everything is okay? -I.
Her fingers hovered hesitantly over the screen for a moment, but the dark-skinned woman quickly sucked in a steadying breath and typed out her response.
Everything is fine. I just wanna talk to you alone. Promise me you'll be here? -Y.
I promise. Love you. -I.
She smiled at that.
Love you too, Berry Boy. -Y.
Letting out a sigh, she put her phone away and rested the back of her head against the cherry blossom tree. There, she'd done it. There was no backing out of it now.
Raising her hand to glance at her watch, she noticed that it was barely past seven-thirty.
That gave her only a little under four and a half hours to continue mentally preparing herself for their eventual discussion. And, although that would most likely be plenty of time for any ordinary person, her situation was remarkably…different…than anyone else's.
She just hoped that Ichigo would be understanding.
Ichigo adjusted his scarf and glanced down at his watch.
It was five minutes past midnight, and he was starting to get worried…
He'd arrived ten minutes earlier than Yoruichi had requested just in case she wanted to get whatever she wanted to talk about off her chest. However, it seemed as though whatever was troubling her was keeping her longer than she'd initially anticipated.
But, Yoruichi was big girl, and she could take care of herself just fine until she decided to finally approach him. He just wished it wasn't so damn cold.
Settling himself against the trunk of the tree, Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest and pulled his jacket tighter around his body. He hadn't seen so much as a soul since he'd entered the park, which wasn't all that surprising considering how late it was. Still though, it was kind of creepy to be sitting alone in an empty park that was usually filled to the brim with people.
The orange-head was broken from his internal musings when he felt someone sit down next to him. He didn't even have to look at her to know that it was Yoruichi; the distinctive purple hair that danced at the edge of his vision was enough of a clue.
"Hey baby," he smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her flush against his side.
She snuggled into him, and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Hey," she mumbled against his collarbone.
He raised an eyebrow, but didn't voice any of his concerns. Resting his chin against the crown of her head, he breathed in her natural scent of lavender and catnip while gently rubbing soothing circles on her right arm. "So, you got anything on your mind?"
She nodded, but didn't reply.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked.
Again, she nodded while remaining silent.
Not wanting to pressure her, Ichigo gently pulled her into his lap and moved his hand to her back, where he continued to rub soothing circles. They continued to stay that way for at least eight minutes, before finally Yoruichi raised her head and looked him in the eyes.
"Do you love me?" she asked in a shaky voice.
Blinking in surprise at the question, Ichigo reached forward to tilt her head to the side, and he gently kissed her on the lips. After nearly half a minute, they pulled apart, and both man and woman were left gasping for air.
"Does that answer your question?" he asked with a smile.
Her worry melted away, and she laughed hoarsely, almost as if she'd been crying before he arrived. Maneuvering herself out of his grasp, Yoruichi stood up before turning to offer him a hand. Hauling Ichigo to his feet with a surprising amount of strength, the violet-haired woman took a few steps backward and let out a shuddering breath.
"Do you remember that day when we sat under this tree, and I told you about the magic in the world?" She asked, a fond smile forming across her features.
The orange-head chuckled. "How could I forget it? It was the day I met you, after all."
Her smile softening, Yoruichi exhaled sharply and looked her boyfriend directly in the eye.
"Ichigo…close your eyes…"
"Why? Are you going to show me a card trick?" the young man quipped.
"Just do it," she pleaded, utter seriousness permeating her voice.
Surprised at his girlfriend's change in tone, Ichigo shrugged and did as he was asked. A few minutes of nothing but silence passed, and the orange-head attempted to peek at whatever she was doing.
"Keep them shut," Yoruichi chided him sternly.
Sighing, the young man snapped his eye closed once more. Again, several long minutes went by without either of them saying a single word, and despite the fact that he considered himself to be a rather patient and understanding individual, Ichigo couldn't help but begin to feel a little anxious.
"I'm gonna open them now," he announced. And so, he did.
And before his very eyes, as the moonlight shone down upon them, his girlfriend began to change.
What he could see of her fingernails started to sharpen, and her face contorted and elongated into a distinctly animalistic shape. Her skin darkened to a near midnight-black, and a thin layer of fur slowly sprouted everywhere he could see that wasn't hidden by her clothes. Her hair melded into the fur, and created a slightly longer purple mane. Her ears shifted from their typical spot to the top of her head, where they took an oh-so-obvious feline shape.
Ichigo's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Standing in front of him, was a humanoid black panther.
"Look at me…" Yoruichi scoffed, and although her voice was a bit deeper, it was still easily recognizable. "What do you see?"
Closing his mouth, Ichigo continued to remain silent for a while. Slowly, he took a step forward. Yoruichi flinched away, and he slowly brought a hand under her chin to force her to look directly at him.
Warm brown burned into fiery gold, and the orange-head took a moment to inspect her facial features.
"I see you," he finally replied softly.
Yoruichi's mouth fell open, and she looked at him with trembling eyes. "Aren't you afraid?"
"I'm…definitely shocked," he stated honestly. "But I'm not scared. I might have been if you'd shown me when we first met, but after all this time, I feel confident in saying that I know you. And I know that whoever, or whatever you are, you would never hurt me."
His girlfriend let out a choking sound before throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a kiss filled with unbridled passion. It was bit awkward considering she now had a muzzle, but nevertheless, Ichigo returned her affection as best he could.
After a while, they finally separated, and he rested his forehead against her own. "Even so," he grinned. "I hope you'll forgive me if I have questions."
Yoruichi laughed, which sounded adorably like a deep purr. "I would honestly be worried if you didn't," she replied, and her features slowly morphed back into those of an ordinary human. "My people, or at least what's left of them, are descended from panthers and jaguars. As far as I know, my bloodline is the only one that still has both human and feline blood flowing through our veins, and I myself am the last pure-blooded Shihouin in the family. Only I can change into my animal form, and I've never encountered anyone else in my life who is capable of doing the same."
Ichigo blinked. "That's actually really badass…"
She smiled and took his hand in her own. "You're taking all of this surprisingly well."
He shrugged. "Yeah well, this certainly explains all of the large animal sightings that I've heard about on the news. That was you, wasn't it?"
The dark-skinned woman nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, it was. Sometimes I just feel the call of the wild, and nothing can stop me from prowling around."
"You don't like…eat dogs and cats, do you?"
Yoruichi scoffed and punched her boyfriend in the chest. Now that she no longer had to hide her enhanced strength, he actually let out a slight wheeze of pain. "No, I don't eat pets. Sometimes, birds and other small animals come into the city from the surrounding forests, so I hunt them instead."
Rubbing his sore chest, Ichigo chuckled and looked up at the sky. "You know…when you first told me about the magic in the world, I thought you meant something like being able to take joy in life. But this…this feels like something right out of a fairy tale."
Chuckling softly, Yoruichi stepped forward and leaned against the orange-head's more muscular frame. "Well, I don't know about you, but to me this certainly feels like the beginning of a happily ever after."
Wrapping his arms around her, Ichigo pressed a kiss against her forehead. He understood why she'd been so nervous about telling him her secret; who wouldn't be in this situation? Truth be told, despite the fact that his girlfriend was an extremely outgoing person, he'd never actually seen her interact with anyone besides himself, her coworkers, and her boss. The latter two couldn't really be helped though.
What must have it been like for her? To constantly shy away from forming attachments and making friends for the past twenty-three years, all in order to keep her secret?
"Were your parents the same?" he asked. He felt her nod against his chest.
"My father didn't have any siblings, and neither did my mother, so they were both the last two remaining people in their respective families who possessed the gift. But, against all odds, they somehow met and fell in love, and nine months later I was born."
"You don't have any siblings of your own?" Ichigo questioned.
"No. My parents were planning on having another child, but they were killed by hunters one day while out hunting food for me," she replied, letting out a shuddering breath. "Like you already know, after they died, social workers took custody of me for a while, before eventually I was passed on to some distant relatives who didn't even know about the secret of the Shihouin bloodline. After a while, they got tired of me, and passed me off to some other relatives. That continued for a while until I was old enough to get a driver's license, and since that day I went off on my own and never once looked back."
She then shuffled around a bit to look back up at him. "My mother and father always implored me to never reveal myself to anyone, and I was fully intent on keeping that promise. But then, I met you. You, who love me for who I am, not what I am. You, the damn fool who I could see myself spending the rest of my life with…"
They stared lovingly at one another for a few minutes in silence, completely content to do nothing but be in one another's company.
"Let's do it," Ichigo grinned.
Yoruichi frowned. "Do what?"
"Let's go apartment shopping tomorrow. Between the two of us, we have more than enough money. During summer break, I'll work another job to make up for the cash we spent. And then, after college, I'll keep working until we finally have enough to go build that house we've talked about so much."
The violet-haired woman's eyes widened, before they quickly began to water. Letting out a sound mixed somewhere between a laugh and a sob, she stood up on her toes to kiss the orange-headed fool she'd fallen in love with. "That sounds like a plan to me."
Smiling widely, Ichigo leaned down to wrap an arm under the back of her knees. He then proceeded to lift her into the air, much to the dark-skinned woman's delight. They shared another kiss, and he carried her all the way back to his apartment.
Even once they arrived, their passion didn't diminish in the slightest.
Fingers tangled in one another's hair, bodies were caressed, and clothes were cast aside carelessly.
Carrying Yoruichi to the bedroom, Ichigo gently sat her down on the bed before closing the door.
Sunlight streamed through the window, making shadows dance all across the room.
Slowly, Ichigo opened his eyes, and the first thing that gifted his sight was the most angelic vision he had ever seen.
Yoruichi was still sleeping peacefully, and her hair was splayed out all around her face like a violet halo. Smiling, he leaned forward to kiss the tip of her nose. Her face scrunched up slightly, and not too long after, her own golden eyes opened to stare sleepily into his own.
"Good morning," the orange-head grinned.
"Mmmm…last night was even better," she replied cheekily, before sitting up to give him a proper good morning kiss.
He chuckled. She was right of course. The passion that they'd shared in this very bed; the utter love for one another that they'd displayed…it had been the most incredible thing he'd ever experienced.
And, given how vocal his girlfriend had been, he was pretty confident in suggesting that she felt the same way.
His attention was drawn to the object of his thoughts when she let out a yawn and stretched her arms above her head. This action, of course, had the effect of pushing forward her already very prominent breasts. Not too long ago, Ichigo would have overreacted at the sight and tumbled out of the bed in an undignified heap. Now though, all he could do was stare in awe at Yoruichi's inhuman beauty.
Well, now that he knew her secret, the word 'inhuman' was most definitely fitting.
Even so, it didn't affect the way he felt about her. In fact, he felt as if they had grown even closer since last night, considering he was the only living person on the planet who she felt comfortable revealing her true nature to.
His internal thoughts were interrupted when his girlfriend rose from the bed, not caring in the slightest that she was as naked as she day she was born. "You don't mind if I go ahead and start a pot of coffee, do you?" she asked, turning to him.
"Not at all. I'll be there in a minute," he replied, and she offered him a smile before disappearing into the rest of the tiny apartment.
Arching his back until he heard a satisfying 'pop,' Ichigo threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. It was a Saturday, so thankfully he didn't have to be at school. He also had today off from work, so that worked out even more in his favor.
Walking over to his dresser, he pulled open one of the drawers and withdrew a pair of light grey sweatpants. It was chilly enough that shorts were out of the question, but not so much that he felt he needed a heavier garment. Opening his closet, he pulled on a white tank top. After giving himself a once-over in his tiny mirror, he nodded and moved to join Yoruichi in the kitchen.
Upon entering the main space of his apartment, which was comprised of both the kitchen and living room, Ichigo froze dead in his tracks.
It seemed as though at some point his girlfriend had seen fit to partially clothe herself, for currently she wore one of his dark black t-shirts, which was quite obviously several sizes too big for her. There was just…something…about a woman wearing a man's clothes that made them undeniably sexy.
"Like what you see?" she quipped, not even needing to glance in his direction to know that he was staring at her.
The orange-head laughed as he was partially broken from his trance. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't," he replied, moving forward to stand next to her.
She leaned into him when he wrapped an arm around her, and he kissed the top of her head as they both watched the coffee pot begin to fill with the life-giving liquid. "So, what's on the agenda for today? Aside from apartment browsing, of course," Ichigo asked.
"Well, I don't have to work today, so we could honestly do whatever we want," she said. "Still though, if we want to look for a new apartment, we should probably do so a little after breakfast; we don't want to be out too late again."
They both simultaneously yawned, which elicited a laugh.
"See what I mean?" she chuckled. "Between the life-changing revelations and the mind-blowing sex, I think we both need to catch up on our beauty sleep."
Ichigo nuzzled into her hair. "You could stay awake for a thousand years and stay just as beautiful as you are now."
"Oh, hush you," Yoruichi grinned. "Don't start with those sweet words again, or we'll be confined to the bedroom all day long."
"I could live with that."
"So could I," she laughed, twisting around to kiss him on the chin. "But, we have things to do and places to be."
"Fair enough," Ichigo smirked, before pulling away from her to get started on actually making breakfast. Now that he knew why his girlfriend requested fish and rice so often, he didn't even bother thinking about cooking up something else.
He'd never wanted to bring it up before, but Yoruichi had a truly insatiable appetite. She ate just about everything a normal person would, but she could pack away meat and seafood like nobody's business.
He supposed that came with the territory of being a carnivore.
Breakfast was eaten in relative silence, and after they finished and dressed in some more appropriate clothing, the young couple left the apartment complex hand in hand. There was a fancier housing building a few streets away, and Ichigo had been sensible enough to contact the manager to let him know that they'd be stopping by.
The elderly man was already waiting for them outside when they walked down the sidewalk.
"Mister Kurosaki, I presume?" he asked amiably, reaching out with a hand.
The orange-head smiled and returned the handshake. "Yes sir."
The man laughed. "None of that 'sir' stuff; call me Ojī."
Ichigo chuckled along as well. "Sure thing."
Nodding, Ojī turned his attention to Yoruichi. "And is this your lovely wife?"
"Not yet," the orange-head replied with a grin.
The dark-skinned woman smiled at the implication behind that response.
The elderly man laughed jovially once again. "Good for you two! If you ask me, there's something special about being young and in love that you don't see all too often these days. Now then, if you'll follow me, I'll show you some of my vacancies."
With Ojī leading the way, Ichigo and Yoruichi stepped into the building.
"Most of your neighbors are either old folks like me or singles who can't be bothered to go out and actually do something with their lives. That being said, it's still most likely better than what you're living in now," the elderly man said, approaching the first door on the third floor. "This spot doesn't have any previous occupants, so you won't have to worry about any mysterious stains or smells."
The door was opened, and the young couple stepped in to inspect the apartment. It was most definitely bigger than what either of them were used to, and there were actually two full-sized bedrooms. A bathroom was situated at the end of the hallway, which housed a pristine looking toilet, bathtub, showering station, and sink.
The living room itself was nearly as big as Ichigo's entire apartment put together, and a sliding door separated it from the kitchen. Another glass door led out to a small balcony, which overlooked the park in the distance.
"It's…a lot nicer than I even imagined," Yoruichi finally said.
Ojī nodded sagely. "Yeah well, I try to keep all of the empty ones as clean as I can. If you decide you want it, that responsibility will fall on you though."
"Of course," Ichigo nodded, before turning to his girlfriend. "So, what do you think?"
The violet-haired woman didn't respond right away, and instead took a moment to look back through the entire apartment. One of the bedrooms would obviously be for her and Ichigo to share, but what would they do with the other one?
Perhaps they would turn it into a closet or storage room?
The image of a crib against the far wall suddenly flashed through her mind, and Yoruichi felt her heart hammer in her chest.
Smiling beatifically, she turned back towards the waiting men and nodded.
Ichigo grinned back, before looking at Ojī. "We'll take it."
Moving in was a bit of a hassle.
Since neither of them owned a car, they'd been forced to rent out a moving service to help them relocate all of their belongings from both of their apartments into their new one. They still had plenty of money after the fact to sustain themselves, but Ichigo had acknowledged that he would have to pull a few extra shifts at work.
Yoruichi had tried to volunteer to do them same, but her boyfriend wouldn't hear of it.
She was a little annoyed, but she appreciated the gesture nonetheless.
At the moment, Ichigo was downstairs finalizing the terms of their contract, while Yoruichi herself set about decorating their new home. And she was able to call it as such due to the fact that she was sharing it with the man she loved.
A flowerpot was placed on the windowsill, and it contained the very same species of flower that had helped her decide whether or not to tell Ichigo the truth about herself. Nodding in satisfaction, the violet-haired woman moved over to one of the numerous large boxes sitting on the floor to continue unpacking.
She either folded their clothes or set them on hangers in the closet, while making sure to delegate one side or the other to their respective belongings. Various knick-knacks were placed on shelves and countertops, and the assortment of multiple other items were filed away where she felt they belonged.
Wiping off a tiny bit of sweat that had managed to gather on her brow, Yoruichi nodded satisfactorily. She heard the front door open, and turned to greet her housemate.
"I love what you've done with the place," Ichigo quipped, looking around the apartment appreciatively.
"Of course you do. Nothing is more effective than a woman's touch, after all," she shot back, and the orange-head let out a laugh.
"Come here, you."
Yoruichi grinned and swiftly closed the distance between them, before leaping into her boyfriend's arms. He easily held her up, but that quickly changed when she decided to fully shift into her panther form.
Ichigo collapsed to the floor, letting out a grunt as the big cat made herself comfortable on top of him. "You're not gonna let me up, are you?" he groaned.
The shapeshifter purred for a moment in mock-thought before shaking her head. "Not a chance."
The orange-head chuckled with a slight strain. "You know…I never thought I would be pinned to the floor by an alpha predator without completely shitting myself…"
Yoruichi laughed and slowly returned to her human form. However, one of the side effects of transforming was that it completely tore whatever clothes she was wearing to pieces, which meant she was now left totally naked. "Wanna break this place in?" she teased, pressing her breasts against her boyfriend's chest.
Ichigo's eyes widened, and his girlfriend let out a delighted shriek as he quickly jumped to his feet and hauled her into the bedroom.
Some of you may question the purpose of a time skip in only the second chapter, but I can assure you that it will make sense further down the line.
And, just so that everyone is clear, Yoruichi is able to transform into both a semi-animalistic state, as well as a full on normal looking black panther. However, she does have a dark purple stripe of fur running along her spine.
I honestly have no idea how long this story will end up being. I have a concrete direction and plot line that I wish to follow, but I am unsure as to how many chapters it will take up. Either way, I plan on writing my ideas out in their entirety.
I will be returning to "Bloodstained Souls" and "Desires of the Heart" shortly, but in all likelihood, I will be posting one more chapter for this story before doing so.
I hope you all enjoyed, and as always, reviews are more than welcome.
AlucardsBro OUT!